Chateau Peter

The Château Pétrus is located in the French wine-growing region Pomerol near Bordeaux, in the east of the plateau. The legendary red wine "Pétrus" is produced here, which is a valued premium wine by wine lovers and collectors due to its pure abundance of fruit and rich texture. The château is named after the apostle Peter, who is placed as a statue on a stone plinth at the entrance to the winery.

A small winery and a great wine - Château Pétrus for connoisseurs

Among the European wineries, the Château Pétrus appears relatively small with an area of ​​11.5 hectares. However, the winery should not be underestimated, because the most expensive Merlot in the world is produced here, which is known in practically all parts of the world and highly praised by connoisseurs and critics alike. On the gravel and clayey area, 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc are grown, which impress with their elegance, style and quality. Depending on the quality of the vintage grapes, the "Pétrus" is produced as pure Merlot or occasionally supplemented with a small proportion of Cabernet Franc.

But back to the beginning - in the 19th century the winery was located in the picturesque countryside of the Bordeaux region, owned by the Arnaud family. This put on the vineyards to get into the noble business of wine. However, it was not until 1850 that the family managed to make Château Petrus one of the top three wineries in Pomerol. Subsequently, the wines became known all over the world, could be found at numerous exhibitions and were awarded medals. Then, in the early 20th century, the trustees formed the Société Civile du Château Petrus, named after the statue of Saint Peter on the estate. From 1945, Madame Edmond Loubat was able to call herself the sole owner of the then 6.5 hectare estate, after she had previously increasingly bought individual parts. Their considerable contribution to the development of the vineyard meant that the wine of the century was created in the same year. After her death, the heirs sold the winery to Jean-Pierre Moueix, who owns a few more vineyards. Moueix took over the management of the château together with Madame Lacoste - the other heir of Madame Loubat's estate - so that in 1969 Pétrus' estate was enlarged by 5 hectares to 11.5 hectares.

International fame of Bordeaux wine

The extraordinary Merlot became known throughout Europe and also in the United States after the Second World War. The talented sales representative and future owner of Château Pétrus, Jean-Pierre Moueix, is responsible for the extensive and extremely effective promotion of the brand. Among the celebrities who joined the elite circle of Château Pétrus lovers were members of the Kennedy family. Due to its popularity and rarity, the wine has become synonymous with luxury.

Exceptional taste qualities of the wine

It was not only the skilful management of the French winery that quickly brought the Château Pétrus Merlot worldwide recognition, but also the owners' dedication to the maximum quality of the harvest and the wine produced. To achieve this, the winery managers were one of the first in Bordeaux to use yield reduction methods (such as the so-called green harvest) in order to obtain the best possible quality and maturity of the remaining grapes - a principle they still use today. Each of the château's vintages is unique, but all of these wines are outstanding, top-class Merlots. Since 2008, after the young winemaker Olivier Berrouet took over from his father, the matured wines have become even more full-bodied, fresher and more mature.

In addition, the location of the vineyard itself has also proven exceptionally generous to its owners. Located 40 meters above sea level, the winery not only towers above all others in the Pomerol appellation, but also offers extremely favorable conditions for the cultivation of Merlot. The loamy soil and ferrous subsoil ensure careful and meticulous care, yielding the beautiful fruits that make the world's most desirable wine. It is thanks to this fact that the famous, deep ruby ​​red Château Pétrus Merlot is characterized by outstanding qualities that go in the direction of full-bodied texture, rich tannins and refined taste - and thereby achieve the highest ratings, sometimes up to 100/100 points ( a rating awarded in 2010 by one of the world's most influential wine critics, Robert Parker).

The unique manufacturing process for the noble Merlot Château Pétrus

A vineyard planted solely with the Merlot variety has vines with an average age of 45 years. The fruits are harvested by hand, sometimes in just one day. If there is heavy rainfall before the start of the harvest, a low-flying helicopter is sometimes used to dry the vines - true to the motto: Top quality has its price. The harvested grapes undergo a costly harvest to select only the best. The subsequent delicate process of fermentation and aging consists of 19 months of storage in barrique barrels and contributes significantly to the outstanding level of each individual vintage. The best wines can be stored for up to 25 years or more. Only about 25,000 to 30,000 bottles of the venerable Merlot are produced annually, which is why it is a rare drop worldwide.